Ontario proposes new tax credit that could cover up to 25 per cent of eligible fertility treatment expenses

CTV National News: IVF treatment promises Sarah Plowman looks at the promises for funding fertility treatments as elections are underway in B.C., Saskatchewan and New Brunswick.

The Ontario government is proposing a new tax credit that could cover up to 25 per cent of eligible fertility expenses for up to $5,000 each year.

The province announced on Thursday that this credit, effective January, could cover expenses for in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles, fertility medications, travel for treatment and diagnostic testing.

"This initiative reflects the depth of our government's commitment to reducing financial barriers and making fertility treatments more accessible to families right across Ontario," Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy told reporters on Thursday afternoon.

"As I've often said, we believe strong families help build strong communities. We want to ensure no one in Ontario is left behind when it comes to achieving their dreams of becoming a parent."

Outside of a proposed tax credit, the province said it is investing $150 million over the next two years to expand Ontario's fertility program – a cash-flow injection that it says will "triple" the number of families who are able to receive government-funded IVF cycles, as the capacity for fertility clinics expands and waitlists at hospitals and community clinics reduce. Under the current Ontario Fertility Program (OFP), 50 clinics across the province can offer publicly-funded fertility services, like artificial insemination and IVF, to Ontarians.

"Our government's investment will ensure tens of thousands of more Ontario families can access fertility services by expanding the programs to include more clinics, giving patients more options where they can access publicly-funded fertility services, reducing wait times at community or hospital clinics and help cover the cost of what can be overwhelmingly expensive," Health Minister Sylvia Jones said.

OFP currently covers only one cycle of IVF for those under 43 – a treatment that costs around $20,000 on average. But there has been no support to pay for the $5,000 worth of fertility drugs needed per cycle.

In a survey conducted by Conceivable Dreams last year, the fertility patient advocacy group found 80 per cent of Ontarians required services that were not covered under the province's existing fertility program. Their data also found more than a third of Ontarians spent more than $30,000 out of pocket.

Zane Colt, the board chair for Conceivable Dreams, told reporters on Thursday that one in six Ontarians experience infertility, and brought up how he and his wife have spent “tens of thousands of dollars” trying to build their family, as they had their daughter through gestational surrogacy and are currently in their second round of IVF.

"The current (Ontario Fertility Program) has made significant strides in supporting families struggling with fertility, but it is limited in its coverage and leaves many with a significant financial burden, making fertility care inaccessible. In addition, the program only includes select fertility clinics, leaving patients on long wait lists to access their funded IVF cycle," Colt said. “In our case, (we were on the) first come first serve list for three years, only to be told that they were switching to a lottery model and that, moving forward, names would be drawn from the hat. That’s why we’re so grateful that the government has listened to our concerns and is here today to announce that they’ll be tripling the size of the Ontario fertility program while implementing a new tax credit for patients.”

Colt says the tax credit would be the "right solution" for Ontarians looking to either start or expand their families through fertility treatments, as nobody shares the same fertility journey and this would cover a variety of treatments.

The province said it will provide further details about its fertility program when it announces its budget for 2025. The fall economic statement will be released on Oct. 30.

With files from CTV News Toronto's Queen's Park Bureau Chief Siobhan Morris